A method for epiduroscopy and spinaloscopy. Presentation of preliminary results.

A method for endoscopic observation of the epidural space, epiduroscopy, and the subarachnoid space, spinaloscopy, in the lumbar region is described using the Olympus Selfoscope SES 1711 S. The preliminary results of 30 consecutive attempts at epiduroscopy on randomly chosen autopsy cases, with 28 successes, are presented. Five spinaloscopies were performed on the same material. The results justify the conclusion that epiduroscopy and spinaloscopy are methods that can be used for study of individual variation of the contents of the lumbar epidural and subarachnoid spaces.